Physical's problem

Getting on the bus in Jakarta require extraordinary physical strength... Nope, I am not exaggerating anything...if we are in the situation where the bus is overloaded with passengers.
Yeah, overloaded with passengers during busy hours on any kind of bus. Either regular bus, fast semi express bus, whatever you can think of even busway

Why we need to have physical strength?

1. Pressure
No, noooo...not economical pressure... But physical pressure from other passengers. At crowded place like that, once in a while there will be passenger who are going in and out. If your body not strong enough to stand in the middle of so many people and hold on to anything (not holding or grabbing or gripping on other passengers, naturally...)...then we could loose our balance and simply fall.

2. Grip or hold on to something
If it happens we are standing near the seat, then we could place our hands and gripping strongly to the side of passenger's seat. You can use both hands or one hand only if you have to. If we are in bad luck, then we have to stretch our hands and grip anything available above... If we could reach it... If you are as short as me...then...good luck


What if you are not in good condition or plain sick?

Hhhhh, for me is the biggest torture. That is why my salute to those pregnant women who is more than capable to be inside the over crowded bus with people. Lots of them even have to standing all the way their journey!

Once I was on the bus while my PMS period. At first, I only feel the usual symptom...like you were having flu and your body is aching everywhere. But soon enough the passengers started to overloaded and I was gasping for air. My head was spinning around and the worst part my vision started to blur. I decided to just get off the bus rather than pass out inside. Then when I was standing near the door, I felt the air brushing my face... It was like I was thirsty and been given water to fresh me up... What a relieve! Then I stayed on the bus and keep standing near the door until I reach my destination (what a stingy!)

I really hate to feel going to the toilet whenever I have to stand all the way of my journey...inside the overcrowded bus. Feel like I was being stabbed all over the place. Usually, if I really could not stand it anymore I was starting to act (actually it was not really acting as I did feel a lot of pain). Making a tortured face and ask for mercy from people who already sat. I asked them to give their seat to me as I could no longer bear the pain. Usually works! At least that was happening when the first time I desperately ask for help from other passengers to give me their seat. Have not try again afterwards.

Oh, by the way I think I need to revise a bit about physical strength... It is not a guarantee that you will be able to strong enough facing the storm inside the overcrowded bus.

I knew someone who all his/her life mostly living outside Jakarta...once collapsing on the overloaded bus. And this person whose strength no need to be doubted; not even standing inside that bus! But then again... Perhaps environment outside Jakarta full with fresh air... And when we used air conditioned bus (though the AC seems not working properly) with all the windows totally shut...obviously we would feel out of breath... And later on we will loose consciousness... LOL! For honoring this person, I am sorry I will not disclose the real identity.